What is the best Jiu-Jitsu gi? Reviews, opinions and sales stats.

If you’re reading this page, you’re most likely trying to work out what the best Jiu-Jitsu gi is, so that you can make an informed decision when you buy one. Damn they’re expensive! It’s crazy and yet without a decent Gi, you can’t really roll unless you roll No Gi, which is fine but you see the issue here. The other problem is that we sweat like crazy when rolling so it really makes life easier if you have more than one Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi.

Best Jiu-Jitsu gi?

So I decided to take a look at the different factors that make a Gi great and try to get an idea of what to look for and also to get feedback from as many people as possible. It may well be that there is not really a single best gi for everyone but in fact it really comes down to the best Jiu-Jitsu gi for you as an individual. Then I typed out some general info to consider such as weave types etc and then moved on to allow my own readers comment so that you can really get an idea of what BJJ Gi is the best.

This page will change and grow over time as the best Jiu-Jitsu gi is not going to stay the same forever and also, I’ll keep learning, so I’ll keep updating this article until it gets too out of hand to read. The last update was done on 20th December 2015. You can also get additional info by visiting the individual pages dedicated tot he larger brands like, Shoyoroll, Atama, Hayabusa, Venum, Gameness, Koral and many more.

I thought I’d start out by seeing what the biggest sellers are on Amazon and then look at how people rated them as I think the reviews can be quite a good indication of how people feel once they receive and use the Gi. Since there is no bigger online retailer than Amazon, the way I see it is if you’re looking to buy a BJJ Gi, Amazon is a pretty great place to look. In fact I actually started out with the Gi’s that had the most reviews on Amazon but followed with the biggest sellers at BJJ warehouse as their customers seem to be pretty concious of the big brands and I think their big selling items have a lot of credibility. (They’re part of MMA warehouse). It doesn’t necessarily mean a big brand must make the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi out there but it does add an element of trust.

I started out by seeing which Gi’s had the most reviews, as this must mean they have some sort of a following (I suppose it could also just mean they’re marketed really well). One would assume that it means they’re good sellers. I then looked for which of these top sellers have over 100 positive reviews so we don’t waste time. By seeing which BJJ gi’s have the most reviews and which of these reviews are the most positive, I’ve determined which BJJ Gi available on Amazon has the best overall score. This alone can’t tell us what the best Jiu-Jitsu gi is but it can help make a decision. I must say that I was actually extremely surprised by the results as they really weren’t what I expected.

I acknowledge there could maybe a be a more scientific method out there for determining the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi but at the end of the day, I think that everyone has their own personal brand and Gi preference anyway and you can and should debate this issue with your friends. (Preferably in the comments below so that others can see what you think). Take a look at what I found and then you can read what other factors you should consider to personalise your choice and make the right decision.

Best Jiu-Jitsu Gi of 2015 based purely on the Amazon reviews up to December 17th, 2015.

Gi details. (Click images to go to Amazon)

Total number of reviews

Stars out of 5

My comments

Fuji BJJ uniform

229 Reviews

4.5 out of 5

It’s a trusted brand so I’m, not surprised. I do wonder if the high number of reviews is due to a generic description with various options when you buy but I don’t think so. I think it’s most likely that people are just very happy with it.

Sanabul essentials version 2

177 Reviews

4.6 out of 5

To be honest I hadn’t heard of this brand but people out there sure do seem to be loving it. Plenty of reviews and most are positive. Definitely a contender.

Your Jiu Jitsu Gear Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

138 Reviews

4.4 out of 5

Again, I hadn’t heard of these guys but they have great reviews. Maybe it’s a price thing. I know I’m usually broke so who knows.

Best Jiu-Jitsu Gi 2015 based on BJJ warehouse sales to December 2015

I’m not sure if the results from BJJ warehouse were so different from Amazon because I went with the BJJ warehouse top sellers and with Amazon I went with the highest number of reviews but I suspect it may just be that more discerning buyers shop at BJJ warehouse. I really have no idea. Any hoo… Here are the best selling BJJ gi’s from BJJ warehouse in 2015 as per this page: (You can click the images below to see details about each Gi)

Their top seller was the Tatami Estilo 5.0 which has a Y shaped Jacket vent to allow for better range of movement. Robson Moura has been spotted in a Tatami Gi so that also says something about the brand.

Tatami Estilo 5.0

The Hayabusa Shinju Gi was second. I’m not quite sure if it was actually the version one or 2 that was the best seller but the current one for December 2015 is the Shinju 2. It’s quick dry and fully breathable so it’s probably a great Gi for a smelly, sweaty guy like me although I haven’t bought one yet so I can’t say for sure. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida has been seen in a Hayabusa Gi and he’s a top BJJ Champion.

Hayabusa Shinju Gi

Their number 3 seller was the Combat Corner ECO V3.0 Series BJJ Gi. I haven’t seen these before but they look decent and I suspect the price is a big advantage as they seem to be far less expensive than the others.

Combat corner Eco Gi

Their list goes on a bit further but I’ve selected to only put the top 3 Gi’s in this article. If you’d like to see the rest, go to their blog page here.

A few extra things to think about.

You could be looking for your first Gi or simply looking for the next one for your collection. The goal of this page is to help you make the correct choice, taking into account materials, cost, your own body shape and size and also to help you see what other people have to say about the various BJJ gi brands available today. I also value your opinion in the comments section if you’ve owned a BJJ gi before as this will help other people like you to make an informed decision before buying. The truth is there are so many brands and products available at the moment.

Every one has an opinion. I want to know yours! If you’ve been rolling for a few years, you’ll probably know what your favourite BJJ Gi is. The purpose of this page is partially to give you detailed information, but also to let you, the reader have your say about which is the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi on the market. This article is fairly long as it contains a lot of detail on gi selection. You can choose to read the rest of the info in the article below, or if you prefer, you can simply shoot right to the comments section and have your say and see what others have to say.

Factors to consider.

It’s not like in the beginning, where the sport of BJJ was just starting out you had a choice of one or two brands and designs and that was it. These days, it can be quite a challenging decision, so before you tear your hair out. Take into account these factors when figuring out what the best Jiu-Jitsu gi is for you.

There is such a wide selection out there but they’re not cheap and I know that getting the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi for your hard earned cash is really important. That’s why I’ve selected all the top suppliers and sorted their products into different pages in the site menu so that you can cut through all the hype and find the best BJJ gi for your needs.

Whether you’re short and stocky or tall and lanky or something else all together, the cut and material you choose can make a difference to how you feel in your new gi.

Factors to consider when buying a new BJJ Gi.

Weave

There are a number of things to take into account when selecting your Gi. Are you going to buy a single weave Jiu-Jitsu Gi which is fairly light or a double weave Jiu-jitsu gi, which is heavier but stronger. There are also various proprietary weaves available from the different manufacturers that lend themselves to both strength and various weights depending on the needs of the BJJ player. An example would be ‘Pearl weave’.

Weight

Do you want a lighter Gi or a Heavier Gi? Obviously, as discussed, the weave plays a role and over and above that, the fabric it’s self is an important factor. Bear in mind that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi’s take quite a lot of punishment on the mat. They get pulled and pushed and rolled around on the mat and quality is vital.

Cost

BJJ Gi’s are fairly expensive and the price will vary by Brand, design and materials used. One also needs to take into account the shipping costs, particularly if they are not available in your country and you have to import one.

BJJ Gi sizes

When buying a Jiu-Jitsu Gi, particularly when buying online, it’s very important to know what size you are. The adult sizes range from A0 to A6. Try check the manufacturers size chart as the actual sizes do vary from brand to brand. Bear in mind for the first few spins in a tumble dryer after being washed, the Gi may shrink a little so it’s not a bad thing to buy it very slightly too big. This does depend on the individual product you buy though, as some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi’s do actually come pre-shrunk so check the manufacturers label.

Caution: Some Gi’s can not be put in a dryer so be sure to read the manufacturers label for that as well.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi’s take a beating

Most people start out at a gym offering BJJ and have to wear one of the smelly Jiu-Jitsu Gi’s hanging on the rack. This in it’s self is not a problem for the first little while but it’s really not cool to constantly wear a Gi covered in various other people’s sweat , blood and snot. (Yeah, there can be some seriously grim gym gi’s out there).

If you’re lucky, you can often wear your old Judo gi for a while and later borrow your uncles old Karate gi but at some point you’ll want to take the next step and get your own BJJ gi. You’ll find you get to a point where it’s time for an upgrade to a gi with stitching in the right places, a strong weave and nice thick lapels that won’t cut you when you get choked. (And get choked you will..) The big question then is, what is the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi.

If you’ve been doing the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for any length of time, you’ll know that unlike various other martial arts, where the Gi may be used purely as loose, strong clothing, in BJJ, you Gi takes serious abuse. We use them to roll around on the floor in positions that cause drastic wear and tear, we grab hold of them with all our might and our opponents do the same.

We also sweat like crazy due to the intense physical nature of the sport, meaning that they need to be washed often and if you only have one or two gi’s and the weather is bad, you may find you have no option and often need to machine dry them with a tumble dryer. This means that your BJJ gi not only needs to look great and feel comfortable but it has to be as tough as the sport it’s used for.

Make sure, when choosing your Gi, you get the very best one that you can afford. A good BJJ gi does not magically turn you into a good BJJ athlete but it does mean that you won’t have to replace it as often as you will if you buy something cheap and nasty. That being said, if you can only afford the cheapest, that’s not the end of the world as long as you get to roll. Essentially, you simply want to get the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi you can afford.

Make sure your Gi is competion legal if you intend to compete.

When selecting what is the best Jiu-Jitsu gi for you, don’t forget about competition rules. There are some awesome colours and patterns available for BJJ Gi’s these days. They Range from bright colours to unusual patterns like Camouflage to plain white or blue. Something to bear in mind though, is whether or not you intend to use a particular Gi for competition. Many small local competitions won’t really mind what colour Gi you use but if you intend competing in larger official tournaments that are IBJJF affilliated, then there are specific requirements.

The international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation rules state clearly that only White, Black or Royal Blue Gi’s may be used. Keep this in mind when making your purchase as you don’t want to spend all this cash and then find out that you aren’t allowed to use you new Jits Gi in larger competitions. The IBJJF don’t allow mixing the colours of the pants and jacket either, so take that into account too. The best Jiu-Jitsu Gi brands all offer standard colour options so this shouldn’t be a big issue.

You can help others find the best Jiu-Jitsu Gi .

Have your say now! Comment below. Your opinion is important to help others make an informed choice.

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